North Metro School

The North Metro Program, a member of the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS) serves elementary age, K-5 special education students who have severe Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD). These may include inattention, acting-out, oppositional or defiant behaviors, poor interpersonal relationships, depression and unrealistic fears. The GNETS programs, which are state-wide, are designed to provide support and instruction to students whose behaviors significantly disrupt their learning. A typical day in the North Metro Program includes standard Gwinnett County Public Schools curriculum instruction, along with social skills training and affective instruction. In addition, each student’s program is tailored to meet his or her behavioral needs, using positive behavioral supports.

The North Metro Program is staffed by a Coordinator, a Social Worker, a Psychologist and highly trained teachers and paraprofessionals.

The following features are utilized to meet each student’s goal:

Individual behavior plans for each student, regularly reviewed and updated
Psychiatric consultations
Regular meetings with a student’s family to encourage collaboration and support between home and school
Program-wide positive reinforcements such as the opportunity to earn sunglasses by being “Cool,” a bus reinforcement system, as well as, modeling and role play of appropriate behavioral skills
Quarterly parent support groups
Monthly community meetings and special events within the school day where students acknowledge and complement friendship skills, as well as, participate in themed activities

The goal of the North Metro Program is to teach students strategies to manage their own behaviors which in turn, teaches them to feel more successful in school. Many students’ behavior improves sufficiently enough that they are able to participate in general education classes and eventually return to a home school.

North Metro Staff
Michele Matol-Ferguson - Coordinator
Warren Smith - Social Worker
Mary Pat Ruane - Secretary

North Metro Teachers: J. Dawn Smith, Mary Daniels, Leslie Bruce, Vanessa Hall, Cathy Etheridge, Sharon Vargo, Michelle Rogers, Robbie Dickerson.

North Metro Parapros
Melodie Head, Denise Ward, Angie Cushwa, Shari O'Conner, Janice Payne, Betty Dobbs, Teresa McLaughlin, Mary Ambeau, Sally Lafferty, Deborah Wagner, DeLisha Lipscomb, Tim Cisewski, Addison Baker, Roz Powell, Chris Cousens, Sherri Thomas

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